#music review in comics

[toothybj]

Unshackle Yourself

[askmovieslate]

Do you remember "Hello Dolly!"? Has anyone seen the movie "Lincoln" starring Daniel-Day Lewis?

Now take those movies and mash them together, and what you get is an absolute mess. It's like taking a toast with jam on it, but then adding a slice of Camembert cheese on top of it. Sure you can still try to eat it, but the range of flavors goes from challenging to impossible, and then you'll probably end up with an upset stomach.

That's this movie. An absolute mess. The songs are bad, the lyrics are really stupid, and the melodies aren't memorable. Which is a shame, because the political arguments are actually very good, very interesting, and enjoyable to watch.

They should've been two separate movies.

Ah well. Happy Fourth of July to my American followers. You guys are great, and you deserve a better musical movie about your nation's Declaration of Independence.

[gorogues]

Spoilers for Speed Force #2!

Whoever predicted that the Fiddler is the CEO of a probably-evil music app can give themselves a cookie, because I sure didn't. It seems he's the classic Flash character who's really into EDM as per the issue solicitation, and he's working with the Music Meister and appears to have Mas y Menos under his control. Considering the abilities and history of the guys who created the app, it's a good bet that it involves mind control or some kind of negative influence on its users, which is a huge problem because it's incredibly popular and a lot of heroes have installed it. Even Mr Terrific gets into it this issue, and it does seem to be addictively good.

This seems like a perfect situation for Hartley to join in the fight, but I guess we'll see if he's wrapped up in the plotline in the Flash title and is even available to appear in this book. It'd certainly feel like a missed opportunity if he doesn't help in the inevitable battle against Fiddler and Symphonee, and who doesn't want to see Hartley vs Music Meister?

[overthemoonx]

The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn’t a Guy at All: An Offbeat Romance

❌No Spoilers❌

I say no spoilers because this can all be found in the series description and first chapter. If you want to go into this series completely clean, not knowing what it’s about at all, then stop reading and go for it!

Anyways.

For a brief synopsis of the series, picture this: You’re a popular, fashionable girl who fits the stereotypical “preppy” title in some sort of way (or gyaru if you will). But you stand out from the rest. Why? Maybe because you have Aerosmith or Skid Row blasting in your ears as you’re finding an old MTV music video to watch as your friends are talking about the latest drama.

And before you’re all like “Pick me! She’s a pick me!” Don’t even. Aya, the girl I was just describing, is anything but. She’s just a fashionista with music taste that doesn’t align with her style, or the style of anyone around her. And with that in mind, it’s no surprise she’s at least a tad bit lonely.

But this loneliness is short lived once she finds her way into the life of a cute CD store worker, who shares the same music taste as her. Just like that, a crush is born!

Aya can’t help but rant to her friends at school about this new person in her life. Her rants catch the attention of Mitsuki, a girl with a striking resemblance to the guy Aya’s interested in…

My goodness, I binged this series in an entire day. This series perfectly captures the whole “falling for a girl for the first time” feeling in such a fresh way. The characters are extremely well written and fleshed out, especially the main duo.

I find Aya the most relatable to me because she’s just such a hopeless romantic, I love her. And yes! Expect many music references, you’ll be surprised. Not to mention probably the most iconic moment in history (chapter 26).

If you like music and lighthearted romance (that can be real when needed to be), give this one a shot! Btw, on Twitter, the author Sumiko Arai posts many cool doodles of the series!

[theaddictedwatcher]

Hello everyone!

The series I'm going to introduce to you today is very close to my heart, and I'm delighted to have the opportunity to tell you all about it. A science fiction series produced by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett for BBC America, its first season was released in 2013. It consists of five seasons of 10 episodes each, and last year saw the birth of its spin-off. Today, I'm going to talk to you about the Orphan Black series!

As always, let's start with a synopsis that's a little longer than usual: Sarah Manning, a young thief in her twenties, orphaned and penniless, witnesses the suicide of Detective Beth Childs, who looks exactly like her. She decides to assume her identity while erasing her own existence by pretending to have taken her own life. Sarah is also the mother of a little girl, Kira, who is being looked after by Sarah's adoptive mother, Mrs. S. The latter agrees to give her back to her on condition that Sarah can prove that she can be a worthy mother, by bringing in a sum of money to support them. Through Beth's investigations, Sarah learns that they are not just twins and that there are a number of them in North America and Europe. She meets Cosima Niehaus, a scientist specializing in genetics, and Alison Hendrix, a stay-at-home mom living in a comfortable suburb, whom she assists in learning more about their origins. In the course of her investigation, Sarah finds herself in the crossfire between two entities: the Dyad Institute, a powerful biotech consortium; and the Proletians, a sectarian movement convinced that they are abominations and which is behind the hunt for them. The two entities step up their hunt when they learn that Sarah, who has escaped their supervision, has a baby daughter - theoretically impossible since they are supposed to be sterile. Sarah, and those she now considers her sisters, are sometimes on the run from these organisms, sometimes fooled by their manipulations, all the while searching for their origins. And now, a short technical presentation: - Created by: Graeme Mason and John Fawcett - Music by: Trevor Yuile - Main cast: Tatiana Maslany, Jordan Gavaris, Dylan Bruce, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Kevin Hanchard, Michael Mando, Evelyne Brochu, Kristian Bruun, Ari Millen, Josh Vokey.

PRESENTATION

It's going to be pretty difficult to talk about the series without spoiling anything, so I apologize in advance for the slight spoilers present in this article. I'll try as far as possible to limit them or point them out if they're unavoidable, but the main spoiler I can't avoid is the main subject of the series.

As you'll have gathered from the summary, one of the main subjects of the series is human cloning. Indeed, Sarah, Beth, Cosima, Alison, and all the others - all played by Tatiana Maslany (She-Hulk, Chronicle of the Living Dead, The Listener)- are not mere twins, but clones. That's why the Dyad Institute and the Proletians are looking for them, although they don't have the same intentions for them if they find them.

SPOILER + In the final episode of season 1, Cosima discovers that each clone has a different DNA tag based on ASCII-coded base pairs. In addition to the identification code, there is the text "This organism and its derived genetic material are restricted intellectual property." followed by a series of patent numbers. Sarah receives a photograph whose caption suggests that the cloning project that produced it was called "Project Leda". SPOILER END

But that's enough spoilers for now, we can finally start the analysis!

CASTING

At the end of the first season, ten clones of different nationalities and social backgrounds are revealed. Other clones gradually emerge in subsequent seasons. In episode 8 of season 2, Tony, a transgender clone, is introduced. All are played by Tatiana Maslany, who alone plays a good third of the show's characters. Often praised by the press for her acting and the complexity of her roles, it was several years before she received any awards for the series, much to the dismay of fans and the press who couldn't understand why.

In Tatiana Maslany's portrayal of the eight main clones, she was aided by Kathryn Alexandre (Darknet, Saving Hope, Designated Survivor), who acted as her understudy and acted in scenes where several clones interacted. Although she was not credited in the first season's episodes, she was present throughout the series. She doesn't appear on screen as the clones in any of the broadcast episodes, but motion capture and post-production compositing were used to replace her on-screen with Tatiana Maslany's performance. I'll come back a little later in the SPECIAL EFFECTS AND SHOOTING ANECDOTES section to explain how the footage was prepared to facilitate the work of the actresses and the editors. Tatiana Maslany said of Kathryn Alexandre's performance: "She's so incredible. She memorizes all the lines, all my blocks, all her blocks, my mannerisms, my impulses; she somehow memorizes it all and gives it back to me in a performance that I can build on." Kathryn Alexandre had worked as an actor's reader during the casting auditions for the initial production of Orphan Black. She then auditioned for the role of Tatiana Maslany's understudy and won the spot because the producers were looking for, in Kathryn Alexandre's words, "an actor rather than just an understudy".

KNOWN CLONES (SPOILER)

Throughout the series, each Project Leda clone has its own existence and therefore its own relationships. Early on in the series, we meet Alison Hendrix, mother of two and housewife, and her husband Donnie, as well as Cosima Niehaus, a scientist specializing in genetics. Both of them - played by Tatiana Maslany - and the relationships they develop over the series are key elements of the story.

We also encounter other cloning projects with Project Castor. It's revealed that the original samples from the Castor and Leda projects were brother and sister, making all clones genetic siblings. But there's an even stronger link between the two genomes: a single woman, Kendall Malone - played by Alison Steadman (The King's Man: First Mission)-, is in fact the original of both clone lines, as she is a human chimera. We later learn that, in addition to being the donor of the genomes' DNA, she is also the biological mother of Siobhan Sadler - played by Maria Doyle Kennedy (Conjuring 2: The Enfield Case, Outlander, The Tudors)- Sarah and Felix's adoptive mother and Kira's guardian.

Unlike the Project Leda clones, all Project Castor clones are aware of their cloned nature and have been raised together by Dr. Virginia Coady -played by Kyra Harper (Warehouse 13, The Dresden Files)- in a military setting.

As with Tatiana Maslany, Ari Millen (My Life with John F. Donovan, The Expanse), who plays the Project Castor clones, was supported by Nick Abraham as his understudy when necessary.

Other key clones in the story are also introduced in the course of the series, whether allied or not, but I've already told you a lot and wouldn't want to spoil the whole story for those of you who want to watch the series. I'll just end this part by pointing out that the final episode of the series gives us a glimpse of a worldwide count of 274 Leda clones…

OVERVIEW

I'd like to pay tribute to the titanic efforts of the production team, Tatiana Maslany, Ari Millen, and their understudies to achieve such fluidity in the transitions between the various shots and the many (very many!) roles played by the actors. On a personal note, I have to admit that, over and above the story and the investigative aspect, it was Tatiana Maslany's acting that won me over so quickly to the series. What a performance, to know how to nuance her acting to interpret seventeen characters and make them all different and identifiable. Of course, she didn't do it alone: the writing of the story, the artistic team, and the technical team all contributed to this success.

I'd also like to salute the work of Evelyne Brochu (Tom à la ferme, Café de Flore, Paris Police 1900), Jordan Gavaris (Degrassi: Nouvelle Génération, Take Two), and Kevin Hanchard (Suicide Squad, The Expanse, Hudson & Rex), who were great discoveries or rediscoveries for me, giving this series a warm, familiar feel.

The role played by Matt Frewer (Watchmen, Supernatural, Hercules) is also very important, bringing an extra shade of toxicity to this morally dubious universe.

THEMATICS

While we're on the subject of this series' morals, and in particular those of its characters, I'd like to take a moment to focus on certain themes that I feel the series highlights, to open up a dialogue in the viewer's mind about these subjects.

One of the first themes to emerge in the first few episodes is the questioning of patriarchy. Between Sarah's toxic relationship with her drug-dealing ex-partner Victor, and Beth's relationship with Paul, who not only is her partner but also spies on her for the Dyad Institute, the depictions of couple relationships in the very first episodes of the series are very much in favor of patriarchy. These are situations in which the man in the relationship tries to control his partner's every move, but also to control her mentally by exerting moral pressure. What's interesting for me, beyond this faithful depiction of toxic relationships, is that not only did they not stop at showing this pattern in couple relationships, they extended this possibility to professional and family relationships as well, and, throughout the series, deconstructed these patterns by allowing the female characters to free themselves from these holdings, albeit sometimes with very heavy blows, to regain their independence and find themselves again and not the version altered by the male figures in their environment.

What's more, the very existence of clones means that the series tackles the subject of the exploitation of the body, particularly the female body. SPOILER Between the fact that the stem DNA used to create the two clone families comes from one and the same woman, Kendall Malone, and the fact that they're looking for Sarah and Helena because they're the only two clones with the ability to give life (ndlr. Alison and Donnie's children are adopted), something that until now was not possible in experiments, the female body is used as a tool to satisfy unhealthy research carried out by scientists who have no respect for human existence as we know it. END SPOILER

The series is full of strong female characters, from the clones played by Tatiana Maslany to Mrs. S -Sarah and Felix's adoptive mother and Kira's caretaker played by Maria Doyle Kennedy - and Dr. Delphine Cormier - played by Evelyne Brochu - and it's a great way, in my opinion, of popularizing in viewers' minds that deconstructing patriarchy isn't a bad thing and won't lead to the end of the world, as some people seem to think… An evolution, be it moral, sociological, scientific, or other, is not necessarily a bad thing, but we must welcome it and try to understand it before directly considering it as a danger to be eradicated.

But beyond this aspect, for me, there's a real questioning of the capitalist world, which is ready to tolerate or even encourage any experiment as long as it's profitable. Long before Elon Musk and his Neuralink launched in 2016, the series had already understood and set out to denounce the potential excesses of technological developments in the medical field. I'm not saying that there aren't advantages to such advances, particularly if they help to improve or save lives, as long as they are governed by strict rules, particularly concerning experimentation, whether animal or human, as was the case with Project Dolly in Scotland in the late 90s, to which the very theme of the series refers.

For those of you who don't know, Project Dolly is a sheep famous for being the first mammal clone in history, obtained from the nucleus of the mammary gland of an adult sheep. The nucleus of this cell, containing the entire genetic make-up, is injected into the egg cell of another ewe, from which the original nucleus has been removed. In this way, the nuclear DNA of the first ewe replaces that of the second in the latter's egg cell. 277 egg cells are created, giving rise to around 30 embryos. Only one of these develops into an adult. For the first time, a viable being resulting from this cloning technique survives. Scottish scientists named the sheep "Dolly" after the American singer Dolly Parton, renowned for the generosity of her breasts because the cloning was carried out using mammary gland cells.

The media hype surrounding this project has given rise to the misconception that a clone is a carbon copy of another individual. The identity is that of the nuclear DNA, which implies that the clone is neither genetically identical to another individual, since the genetic heritage is made up of the nuclear DNA contained in the nucleus of the organism's cells and the mitochondrial DNA contained in the cytoplasm of the ovum (and therefore also in the enucleated ovum); nor an identical physiognomy as a result of the role of the environment in which the DNA is expressed, and even if a great resemblance exists, it is ultimately less than that which exists between homozygous twins.

Cloning from differentiated cells of an adult organism represents a major breakthrough in the scientific world. It proves that the regulation of gene expression is reversible, and opens the door to the production of transgenic animals (with extra genes, such as those encoding human proteins used for medical purposes) or animals with special qualities. This could be an interesting technique for safeguarding endangered species.

The same Scottish team cloned 13 ewes, including 4 in 2007 (Debbie, Denise, Diana and Daisy) from the mammary gland cell line that gave birth to Dolly 10 years earlier. Unlike Dolly, these ewes show no signs of accelerated aging. While less than 3% of cloned embryos were born healthy in 1996, this proportion has risen to over 20% for the cohort of ewes in 2016.

To my mind, the potential scientific aberrations of such discoveries are one of the things the series wants to warn us against, and it's all to its credit when we see in the media today all the madness that laboratories are capable of producing under cover of private funding… All progress is good to take as long as it's useful for improving the comfort of life for everyone, but also as long as it's accessible to all and not reserved for a privileged class who has the financial means to afford it. Here's a link to an article that goes into more depth about the biomedical criminality present in Orphan Black.

Finally, I'd also like to talk about representation in this series. With a predominantly female cast thanks to the various clones played by Tatiana Maslany, the series offers a very diverse range of female characters, but not only. It also offers a fine representation of LGBT characters that I won't name to keep you surprised. Whether it's several lesbian couples, gay encounters, or even a transgender character, the series gives pride of place to this community which, for once in a time, is represented outside the clichés. Indeed, they are portrayed as any heterosexual or cisgender person (cisgender: a person in agreement with his or her birth gender, the opposite of transgender) and it's refreshing not to find the scenarist facilities too often used or to have characters portrayed as excessive, "freaks". Whatever your sexual orientation or gender identity, everyone is entitled to self-respect, and it was a real balm for me at the time to see such characters on my screen.

PRODUCTION

Casting for the lead role was announced on September 17, 2012. Although Canadian actor Elliot Page was considered for the lead role, Susan and Sharon Forrest, in charge of casting the series, chose to give the role to another Canadian, Tatiana Maslany. The rest of the main cast was announced at the end of October 2012 as filming for the first season began in Toronto.

In March 2014, BBC Worldwide North America signed an agreement with Amazon for exclusive broadcast rights to the series on Amazon Prime Instant Video. The quality of the series, which is worth watching in one sitting, was cited as one of the main reasons for Amazon's interest. In April 2014, the airing of the first episode of the series' second season recorded a 91% audience increase in the 18-49 age group in cumulative TV broadcast audiences plus Amazon Prime Instant Video. In fact, this increase can be explained by the possibility of viewing the episode after it has been broadcast, which makes it easier for viewers to watch. This is the biggest increase for any first-run drama series on cable this season.

In April 2014, writer Stephen Hendricks sued the BBC and Temple Street for $5 million, alleging that they had stolen the idea for Orphan Black from him. He had submitted a script written in the late 1990s, entitled Double Double to Temple Street in 2004, who then considered and ultimately rejected it.

SPECIAL EFFECTS AND FILMING ANECDOTES

Scenes in which Tatiana Maslany has several simultaneous roles were filmed several times using carriage-mounted motion control cameras that reproduce the movement between each take. This device, the Technodolly, is referred to as the "Time Vampire" on the Orphan Black set because of the length of time several clone scenes take in the production schedule. In these scenes, Tatiana Maslany first plays the scene with her understudy Kathryn Alexandre in the alternate clone role, then alone in the same clone role, then alone in the alternate clone, then a fourth time with the scene filmed with just the camera movement for a background plate. Suspended tennis balls help the actress maintain appropriate sight lines. In post-production, Kathryn Alexandre and the tennis balls are replaced by Tatiana Maslany's footage from alternative shots, allowing for more action in the scenes where she interacts with herself. In the season 2 finale, when one scene required the presence of four different clones, two days of shooting and several additional body doubles were used to create the effect, and the post-production work of Geoff Scott and his team at Intelligent Creatures VFX would have taken hundreds of hours to complete.

Tatiana Maslany created different music playlists to help her distinguish the many clone personalities she embodies. She also used dance to develop the physicality of the characters, including their postures, gestures, and movements and drew on her experience in improvisation to develop the characters more fully.

The character of Cosima is named after science historian Cosima Herter, a friend of showrunner Graeme Manson, and a scientific consultant on the series. Cosima Herter works with the writers to ensure the plausibility of cloning and other scientific aspects of the series, as well as the complexity of the philosophical and ethical concerns it raises.

Make-up artist Stephen Lynch, hairstylist Sandy Sokolowski, and wardrobe supervisor Debra Hanson are instrumental in creating the visual differences needed to distinguish each clone. Indeed, their work is often used to develop the characters' personalities before lines of dialogue are even written. The screenwriters use the character of each personality as reflected in their physical appearances and clothing to refine the moods and nuances of the characters.

The drawings of Sarah's daughter Kira in the series are created by Sash Kosovic, a member of the art department.

In season 4, a reference to the scientific cloning of Dolly the sheep is made through a sheep's head mask worn by a character to keep his identity secret.

SHOOTING LOCATIONS

Orphan Black was filmed in Toronto, Ontario, but it's not specified whether the series was set in Canada. Graeme Manson said in 2014 that the setting was deliberately ambiguous: "It's supposed to be Generica. It's part of the price you pay for this kind of co-production.". John Fawcett agreed, saying "to be honest, we don't want to say we're American and alienate Canadians, or say we're Canadian and alienate Americans. The fact is, we're one big happy family. We're just a little further north than you are. Grantland's Tara Ariano argued that this ambiguity is "a bold new way for a producer to work within the restrictions of CanadaCon: place your show in Canada (technically), employ a Canadian crew, air it on a Canadian channel… and make room for recurring guest stars like Maria Doyle Kennedy… by casting a Canadian in nearly a dozen roles.".

But beyond that, the Canadian location was apparent through details such as Ontario license plates, Beth and Mrs. S.'s Ontario driver's licenses, the currency used, scripted references to the Ontario suburb of Scarborough and Toronto's Parkdale, and a plane ticket in the pilot episode identifying Toronto's Pearson International Airport. Bridgepoint Health and Toronto's Don Jail are stand-ins for the exterior of the Dyad Institute. Scenes set in the Scarborough suburb where Alison lives are actually shot in Markham, Ontario, a suburb immediately north of Scarborough. However, details are often deliberately obscured; American pronunciations of words like "lieutenant" are used.

The co-production also influenced another important aspect of the series: Sarah's British accent and origins. John Fawcett explained that BBC America had asked them to make the main character British, which she wasn't originally, to better match the BBC brand. John Fawcett, however, saw this directive as an advantage, as it made it easy to differentiate Sarah from the other clones and broaden the geographical scope of the series' plot.

OTHER MEDIA

COMICS

In July 2014, a comic book series published by IDW Publishing was announced. The series, whose first issue was released in February 2015, is co-written by series creators John Fawcett and Graeme Manson. A new issue was published monthly until July 2015, when the last of the five contracted issues was published. The issues in order feature Sarah, Helena, Alison, Cosima, and Rachel.

The comic book miniseries was conceived as a way of conveying information about the clones' past and childhood without interrupting the fast-paced TV series. It is presented as an extended universe featuring off-screen events not shown in the episodes. The comics are directly linked to the events of the first season of the series, to anchor the comics in the already established universe. The mini-series offers audiences the opportunity to better understand the emotions, thoughts, and feelings underlying the characters in the TV series.

In August 2015, the comic's conclusion revealed another self-aware clone: Veera Suominen. She was thought to be one of the clones executed in Helsinki, but she survived. The next comic, Orphan Black: Helsinki, published in November 2015, expanded on her character.

AUDIO SERIES

In June 2019, a 10-episode audio series entitled Orphan Black: The Next Chapter was announced, with Tatiana Maslany reprising her role. Serving as an official continuation of the series, it takes place eight years after the series finale. Malka Older is the showrunner with Mishell Baker, Lindsay Smith, Heli Kennedy, Madeline Ashby, and E.C. Myers as writers.

The series is broadcast via the Serial Box platform and the first episode was made available on September 12, 2019. Since then it can be found on YouTube via the link above, or on Spotify and Audible.

A second season aired in October 2021, co-produced by Realm and AMC Networks, adding original cast members Jordan Gavaris, Kristian Bruun, and Evelyne Brochu to the cast.

MUSIC

In May 2015, two compilations of the series' soundtrack were released by Varèse Sarabande Records. These two compilations include music from seasons 1 and 2 with compositions made by Trevor Yuile for the series but also music made by other artists such as Tears For Fears and featured in Orphan Black.

The series' main theme, Theme From Orphan Black, is composed and performed by Two Fingers, a Brazilian musician-composer and producer of electronic music, and features on both compilations.

As usual, I'm also attaching the link to listen to the entire series soundtrack. Just as Tatiana Maslany has done to immerse herself in her characters, I find that the soundtrack not only perfectly reflects the different personalities of the clones, but also underlines every aspect of the plot's stakes.

SPIN-OFF

In March 2019, it was announced that a new series set in the Orphan Black universe was in development at AMC, to be produced by Temple Street Productions just as Orphan Black had been. In February 2022, it was announced that Anna Fishko would be the writer of this new story set thirty-seven years after the end of the original series.

Entitled Orphan Black: Echoes, the series follows Kira Manning -played by Keeley Hawes-, now an adult turned doctor, and her wife Eleanor -played by Rya Kihlstedt, as they try to help a woman named Lucy -played by Krysten Ritter (Jessica Jones, Don't Trust the B*tch in Apartment 23)- who has become amnesiac following a surgery she underwent.

A ten-episode first season began its run in June 2024 and, so far, we don't know if the series will be renewed for a second season as Season 1 airs until the end of August in the US. Series creator Anna Fishko has revealed, however, that she has the entire storyline already planned and is ready to continue the project if the series' ratings allow. Only time will tell, then, whether we'll get the rest of this adventure... 

Returning from the original series are Jordan Gavaris who played Felix, Sarah's adoptive brother and therefore Kira's uncle, and Evelyne Brochu who played Dr. Delphine Cormier, Cosima's partner and genetic researcher. The original series theme composed by Two Fingers is also used as the closing credits for the spin-off.

CONCLUSION

And that's it for this series! Sorry again for the delay, it was a big piece for me to write. I hope you've enjoyed reading it all, and that I've succeeded in making you want to watch the series.

I'm aware that some of the scenes in the series may be difficult for some people to watch, because the subjects it tackles are very real, and I find it easy as a viewer to identify with some of the characters, or at least to sympathize with the ordeals they go through.

I really enjoyed discovering it when it first came out, and I hope I'll have the opportunity to watch it again with more experienced eyes, given the themes it tackles.

As for the comics, the spin-off, and the audio series, I haven't yet had the chance to delve into them, and although I'd like to, I'm afraid it would spoil my fond memories of the series. But never say never, so why not maybe one day...

On that note, I'll leave you after this far-too-long article!

As always, I wish you a wonderful week and good viewing, and I'll see you next time!

Eli

[punitiwari]

[calvinreadscomics]

The Music of Marie by Usamaru Furuya was a stylistic delight, both visually and conceptually seeming to come from another era of Manga. Furuya isn't the most versatile artist, but he delivers where it counts with some breathtakingly detailed gear-punk imagery and weirdo outfits. The characters are charming, if a little flattened by the amount of exposition they're required to speak. The world is fascinating, not so much as an inhabitable place but as a psychic portrait of the author and his values. I'll always stand behind, and find a lot of interest, in something that reads so authentic and individual, though I wouldn't say I ultimately connected with every aspect of the world and especially its religious and anti-tech perspectives. I liked the sort of macabre direction it takes in its final chapters and would have appreciated a little more of that earlier in the book, where the tone was at times a little overly saccharine and blankly uplifting. The final twist might not make sense and may kind of make the rest of the story moot, though without too much analysis, I appreciated the complication at the time. I think The Music of Marie is a book that could hold up to more analysis than I'm able to give it at this time and I'm sure such an undertaking would change my opinion somewhat, either for better or worse. As is, The Music of Marie wasn't exceptionally insightful or well structured, but it's inventiveness and individuality, as well as an appealing art style with some great high points, make it a worthwhile read. I would really like to see more manga like this in the mainstream.

3.5/5

[victusinveritas]

[fioo5433]

Urgent school project!

Hii srry but anyone could help me answering this forms for an interdisciplinary school project?? tysm for ur help!! (just pick randomly np)

[wits-writing]

Five Miscellaneous Favs of 2022

Felt like doing quick looks at five pieces of media that caught my eye during 2022. 

Not a ranking nor limited to any specific medium, just five things I loved last year that I wanted to talk about with a focus on things I felts were lesser discussed overall in the year.

Because while I could talk about how great Everything Everywhere All at Once, Cyberpunk Edgerunners, or RRR were, I also wouldn’t be bringing that much new to the table by discussing them.

Let’s start with something that hit towards the end of the year:

Matilda the Musical:

What a delight this turned out to be!

The engrossing stylized visuals of this film adaptation of the musical stage adaptation of Roald Dahl’s original children’s book grabbed me from the word “go.” A stage director moving on to direct the film adaptation of their own theatrical work, as is the case with Matthew Warchus here, can and has led to mixed results in the past but here those theatrical instincts shine. Each musical number manages an appropriate scope to get across the emotional impact of the scene and make sure the viewer can appreciate the stellar moments of choreography from the ensemble of child performers. A visual language that lives up to the nature of Tim Minchin’s music and lyrics for the story.

Major highlight of the cast is Emma Thompson as the despicable Miss Trunchbull, performed and presented in a way that makes her the perfect villain for a movie that’s essentially “Baby’s First Antifa Uprising: The Musical.” An authoritarian running her school as a surveillance state who will change her own supposedly sacred rules on a dime in order to never appear as if her power is starting to slip.

Representing the kinder adults of the world in this movie is Lashanna Lynch’s Miss Honey. Any take on Matilda as a story will live and die on how much you buy into the found family aspect of the relationship between the title character and Miss Honey. This film playing into that handily as Alisha Weir’s Matilda finds the first adult to see what’s remarkable about her love of learning in her teacher and Miss Honey finds a reminder of what it means to stand up for yourself and others in an unfair world in her new student. A mutual sense of inspiration beautifully summed up in the new-for-the-movie finale song “Still Holding My Hand.”

Mad God:

Okay, time for a bit of a mood shift…

According to my Tumblr Rewind for 2022, my personal blog’s most popular post of the year was a screencap from a Slash Film interview with Mad God director Phil “You had one job!” Tippett.

This one:

And in that post I described it as a “beautifully blunt” summation of why Mad God paints such a bleak picture of its world and those inhabiting it. Later in that same interview he specified by relating it to how when there’s a tragedy, American news media shoves it in people’s faces on repeat. A process that normalizes the pain and horror of these events and limits people’s ability to imagine a world without any of that. A depressing downward spiral where terrors can never be escaped, only recreated ad nauseum until the end of time (and even beyond that.)

Anyway, I found Mad God to be a ton of fun and it was easily my favorite animated movie of the year!

Probably feels bizarre to go from the previous description of the movie’s world to calling it “fun.” But that’s the balance Tippett managed to strike after the multi-decade process of getting it made. A sickening, compelling contradiction to entice a niche stripe of viewer, because this was certainly anything but a movie made with broad appeal as a concern.

A playfulness comes through in moments like the mindless homunculi that keep this dystopian society running trudging along until a piece of the machinery they work around splats them against a wall, Wile-E-Coyote style. Monster designs that genuinely disturbed me exist alongside ones that are oddly charming in their unconventional designs and mannerisms. The most purely playful elements of the movie take the form of easter eggs to VFX filmmaking history that are featured among the apocalyptic landscapes of some shots, like a statue of Robbie the Robot that features in one shot.

Some stories get by more on a vibe than a carefully constructed narrative and Mad God’s vibes are unlike anything else you’re likely to see.

Bee and Puppycat: Lazy in Space:

Speaking of vibes-based entertainment but on the opposite end of the spectrum.

Bee and Puppycat finally returned this year with a new season on Netflix with an abundance of lo-fi chill at its disposal!

The season, subtitled “Lazy in Space”, has three episodes retelling the story of the original Cartoon Hangover season in the new animation style followed by 13 episodes of original material.

In a universe filled with gorgeous pastel space-fantasy scapes, what keeps the series compelling is everyone in the main cast trying to live the best life they can. One bizarre circumstance after another happening in the periphery of their personal journeys. Exemplified by the show’s approach to doling out information with regards to worldbuilding, everything delivered in pieces tangential to what the focus of a given episode is actually about. This goes doubly for the backstories of the titular characters. Even when we’re given an episode to explicitly flesh out Puppycat’s mysterious past, it turns out to be a nonlinear narrative more concerned with the roots of his attitude than in being a lore-dump. Meanwhile, everytime we get new information about Bee there’s always another layer or three yet to be dug into beneath her unassuming appearance and general ADHD tendencies.

Delivering all that in a balance between high concept scenarios and low-key, chill presentation will keep me coming back to this show for any and all future seasons.

Goodbye, Eri:

2022 could reasonably be argued to be The Year of Tatsuki Fujimoto

Aside from Chainsaw Man Part 2’s manga beginning and season 1 of the anime hitting it big, the mangaka released two one-shots through Shonen Jump in the past year; one was Just Listen to the Song which was written by Fujimoto with art by Oto Toda and the other was Goodbye, Eri, wholly done by Fujimoto.

And it was the best comic I read the entire year.

The story of high schooler Yuta taking the gift of his smartphone as the first step on his path to becoming a filmmaker. His first project being a documentary about the last days of his mother’s life, followed by a narrative covering his artistic evolution as he’s called on to do the same for his classmate Eri.

But a plot summary doesn’t get across why this was the best piece of sequential art I read all year. Fujimoto’s talent at using manga as a form to deliver stories elevates Goodbye, Eri as the narrative framing at hand reflects the premise itself. Every single panel is in the aspect ratio and point of view from Yuta’s camera with Fujimoto’s art emulating novice camera work along the way. One of my favorite recurring details is certain panels clearly meant to represent Yuta having shaky hands as he’s filming.

Like any comic, art and writing feedback into each other to maintain this narrative conceit, as characters will stop on occasion to ask if they should redo a lineread or we’ll see bits that were filmed but not included in previous sequences. It’s playing around with the diegesis of the story to craft Goodbye, Eri’s main theme about how we choose to remember our lives. What bits do we hang onto and what sort of impression do we want to leave other people with after we’re gone.

A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society:

You know the feeling when you find the right band/album at the right time in your life?

That was my experience with Tobias Sammett’s Avantasia two years ago as songs from their album Moonglow were in my youtube recommendation. Even after listening to a decent chunk of the band’s discography, Moonglow remained my favorite. Tackling themes of alienation and creating one’s self while running a full gauntlet of the many forms of Metal. I find a lot to love in the rest of the Avantasia catalog, but none of the albums as complete works topped what this one had to offer for me.

Set all that up for the sake of saying…

A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society exceeded Moonglow and became my favorite album of the year (and possibly my favorite piece of media from 2022, period.)

This even being a possibility was something that gradually built up in my mind as the singles began to roll out. The first release, “The Wicked Rule the Night (feat. Ralf Scheepers)”, was a good hard metal track but it wasn’t until the second single, “Moonflower Society (feat. Bob Cately)”, hit with its amazing animated music video, directed by Jess Cope, that I knew I was in for something special.

The narrative set out by the music video, along with the lyrical content of the song itself, put into focus what Paranormal Evening was about. Especially in how it interacted with its predecessor in Moonglow. If that album was about alienation then this one was going to be about choosing where you want to belong. Whether it’s a conventional path or one that seems off-putting from the outside but could ultimately offer wonders in a future once thought unimagineable. A theme set even more into focus with the third single from the moment I saw its title, “Misplaced Among the Angels.”

A central conceit that reflects Avantasia’s virtue as a group, Sammett assembling performers from across all walks of rock/metal to create something beautiful with each album. New and returning guest performers for the group enhancing what Paranormal Evening has to offer. 

I have lost count of how many times I’ve listened to A Paranormal Evening with the Moonflower Society. Enjoying it more with each playback. Each track lifts up the others and puts me in a state where the album closer “Arabesque” hits as hard as any song I’ve ever listened to has!

If you like what you’ve read here, please like/reblog or share elsewhere online, follow me on Twitter (@WC_WIT), and consider throwing some support my way at either Ko-Fi.com or Patreon.com at the extension “/witswriting”

[b3crew]

REVIEW | "Tegan and Sara: Junior High" | B3 - Boston Bastard Brigade

Junior high school is that time where one starts a finding their true selves. It’s a strange in-between place, where you are constantly conflicted between acting like a kid or an “adult”. But everyone has gone through this, from the most average of people to — in this case — a two twin sisters who’ve played to audiences all over the world. Tegan and Sara: Junior High tells the somewhat true story of the Quin sisters, with some relishing of the truth for the sake of the plot.

Although it was 1991 when Tegan and Sara were in middle school, this version of their story instead places the twins in the modern day. With their parents separated and their mom dating a new-but-nice guy, there’s already a bit of heaviness in the lives of the sisters. But upon entering junior high, both Tegan and Sara find their way to overcome obstacles, be it as a duo or on their separate paths. Of course, this also means that the sisters bump heads over the new people in their lives, especially when it comes to possible bullies and love interests.

It’s clear that one twin has it rougher than the other. Tegan’s shyness in the beginning makes it a struggle for her to make friends, whereas Sara easily gels with her classmates. But with them being twins, the weird questions start coming out, ranging from telepathy skills to, well, questioning their very existence. However, things get a little weird between the sisters when Avery enters their lives, a girl who bullies one but befriends another.

Much of Tegan and Sara: Junior High focuses on the duo’s first year in their new surroundings. They deal with their share of academic issues, their first bras, and experiencing puberty in the most awkward of ways. Going to see their original first friend Faiza acts as a comfort zone for both, but — as long-distance friendships go — they start drifting apart and changing in ways that make them look like a much different person from before. It’s also the time when the twins start figuring things out about themselves. Well…okay, one does, at the very least.

Click here to read the rest of the review!

[toothybj]

Music Fan

[askmovieslate]

Don't get me wrong, the movie's really great, and it's a pretty serious subject matter treated rather seriously.

But why is the music so intense and so loud all the time? I felt like I was having a panic attack the entire movie, and by the end I was so drained and exhausted I couldn't even think.

...hey I think I just got it, never mind, this movie's perfect.

[gorogues]

Spoilers for Speed Force #4!

You can see some preview pages here.

It seems that Fiddler did indeed learn a fair bit of stuff from his online courses, so maybe it wasn't as much of a grift as I'd assumed. He worked hard, at least, alongside a mysterious "fellow Rogue" called "Mod" that I don't know if we're supposed to recognize. He might be a new character with a villainous backstory, or maybe he's an obscure established character with a makeover and perhaps a nickname. Either way, Mod has cozied up to Fiddler and seems like he might be subtly manipulating him for his own ends, so I wouldn't be surprised if Isaac gets betrayed and we learn he wasn't the true power behind Symphonee. And Music Meister seems to be in cahoots with Mod; I wonder if it's possible for Music Meister to control another music-based mind controller like Fiddler, or if they'd each be unable to affect the other?

Happy!Fiddler is weirdly adorable, and I can't help but root for him even though he's up to no good. And speaking of no good, it looks like Cadence also attended the Stagg online classes, so she's clearly got something planned and likely interned at TerrificTech in pursuit of that. Any aspiring villain would want to get their hands on that tech.

I have to wonder what this issue's got against Mark/Marco, because he just keeps getting name-dropped in negative ways :> Why does Music Meister hate him so much, is it his taste in music? I wouldn't mind seeing a minor gang war between the Rogues and some semi-related outsider villains like Music Meister over turf or personal conflicts, and then other semi-related outsider villains like Fiddler or Razer or whoever might have to choose sides. That could be a fun future story, especially if this series continues beyond the first storyline.

Anyway, it's a fun issue for the villains and gives us some insight into Avery's and Wallace's complicated personal feelings, so I thought it was pretty good. The story arc started kind of roughly, but has gotten a lot better over the past few issues, IMO.

[animationstation66]

LACKADAISY (Pilot)

LACKADAISY is a 2D animated film pilot based on the 2006 comic series by Tracey J. Butler, directed by Fable Siegle, and produced by Iron Circus Animation. Released only 2 months ago as of June 15th 2023, LACKADAISY is a labor of love animated by over 160 artists around the world! The pilot introduces us to St. Louis Missouri in the year 1927, prohibition is in full effect and the impending doom of their beloved bar looms over the characters heads. Those characters including Rocky, Freckle and Ivy, three cats trying their hardest to smuggle alcohol into the city despite the challenges they face.

My Thoughts:

!!!SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

What else can I say other than this film was phenomenal! I was incredibly impressed by how smooth the animation is and I love, love, loved the character designs! All of them were unique and had their own sort of spunk and interest while keeping a cohesive look. Let's take a moment to appreciate the artwork for this show shall we?

This image here is an excellent example of creative character design within a certain art style! Shape language, body language, facial expression, and color are all used in subtle ways to express the character's personality!

An important detail to remember is that LACKADAISY was originally a comic, so some things had to be changed to translate it from comic to film.

The original comics primarily used warm, detailed pictures that focused more on shading and texture rather than color. The artwork has a similar warm, almost brown tone that some film photographs from the area take on. Whether that is on purpose I have no idea, it was just something I noticed. These images are from the comics, just to give you a better idea of what I mean.

Even when color is added that detailed artwork and focus on shading remains. Giving the viewer stunning scenes to look at, like these.

Gorgeous right?

But one thing you notice right off the bat is that with the animated pilot, the detail and the emphasis on shading have decreased significantly. But that is to be expected with an animated show, as those things are well... hard to animate. However, what is lacking in detail and shading is made up for in color! The animated pilot is packed full of color and light, which I really enjoy.

Personally, I believe they did a really good job adapting a comic into an animated pilot, if you have anything to add or any animations you want me to look over let me know in the suggestion box! Anyways! be sure to send the people behind this amazing pilot (and comic) some love and support! signing off for now,

-N.Ink

[shanali2]

A Good Girl's

Guide To Murder :

Author: Holly Jackson

Genre: YA mystery

A serie of 3 books, this one is Tome 1 haven't read the whole serie but it's really amazing and couldn't help myself not doing an edit 😭

What do you think ? Did you like it ? One of your favorite books ? Don't hesitate to drop your comment sarge.

Personally I adored reading this book, I just couldn't remember myself putting it down ✨️ the plots are just woow no words to describe this masterpiece, honestly bravo for the author, and really recommend it.

As always feel free to say your words...